In the face of increased warnings about the rise of terrorists targeting the open U.S. southern border, Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) joined her colleagues in demanding President Joe Biden share his plan to bolster border and internal security measures.
In their letter, the lawmakers wrote, “The recent brutal and reprehensible attacks by Hamas against Israel underscore the importance of vigilance against global terrorist groups both internationally and domestically. As President of the United States, we expect you to take every necessary step to ensure the protection of the homeland and to both prioritize and resource this task accordingly. However, the nature of the foreign challenge, combined with vulnerabilities at home—starting at our Southern border—warrant a proactive and comprehensive assessment.”
They continued by writing, “Our Southern border is a matter of deep national concern and insecurity. With rising violence and economic crises around the world pushing many people towards our borders, the record levels of illegal crossings and the spike in Border Patrol apprehensions of individuals matching the U.S. terror watchlist are alarming. In fiscal year 2023 alone, 169 migrants with positive terrorism watchlist matches were apprehended along our Southern border. This represents a tenfold increase from the figures reported in fiscal year 2021. Although the exact affiliations and identities of these individuals remain classified, the marked increase is alarming. Even if these apprehensions represent a minority, the potential devastation from a single individual with malign intentions cannot be overstated.”
As the Biden administration’s appeasement of Iran has increased funding for terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah, Ernst has sounded the alarm on how President Biden’s failure to secure the southern border sends an open invitation to terrorists trying to infiltrate our own country.
